Ground cover rose plant named ‘Poultc018’

ABSTRACT

A new garden rose plant of the Ground Cover class which has abundant, red flowers and attractive foliage. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Botanical designation: Rosa hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Poultc018’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of gardenrose plant which originated from a controlled crossing between thefemale seed parent, an unnamed seedling, and the male pollen parent,also an unnamed seedling.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 2007 and the resultingseeds were planted in a controlled environment in Fredensborg, Denmark.The new variety, named ‘Poultc018’, originated as a single seedling fromthe stated cross.

The new variety may be distinguished from its male pollen parent andfemale seed parent primarily by flower coloration and growth habit.

The objective of the hybridization of this rose variety was to create anew and distinct variety for garden use with unique qualities, such as:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant red flowers;    -   2. Vigorous, but compact growth when propagated both as a budded        rose and on its own roots; and    -   3. Exceptional disease resistance.

This combination of qualities is not present in previously availablecommercial cultivars of this type, known to the inventor, anddistinguish ‘Poultc018’ from all other varieties of which we are aware.

As part of the rose development program, Mogens N. Olesen germinated theseeds from the aforementioned hybridization during winter of 2007 andconducted evaluations on the resulting seedlings in a controlledenvironment in Fredensborg, Denmark. ‘Poultc018’ was selected in thespring of 2008 by the inventor as a single plant from the progeny of theaforementioned hybridization.

Asexual reproduction of ‘Poultc018’ by traditional budding and rootedcuttings was first done by Mogens N. Olesen in the nursery inFredensborg, Denmark in July, 2008. This initial and other subsequentasexual propagations conducted in controlled environments havedemonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Poultc018’ are true to typeand are transmitted from one generation to the next.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustrations show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type, the typicalcharacteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Poultc018’.

Specifically illustrated in FIG. 1 are flowers in parts, stems andleaves,

FIG. 2 a flowering branch.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a description of ‘Poultc018’, as observed in its growthin in a field nursery in Marion County, Oreg. Observed plants are 3years of age, and were grown on their own roots. Color references aremade using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) ColourChart, 2001, except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the rose variety‘Poultc011’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,488 are compared to ‘Poultc018’ inChart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Poultc018’ ‘Poultc011’ Petal Count 20 petals 12 petals with 2petaloids Flower Diameter 50 mm 55 mm General Tonality Red Group 46A RedGroup 45B to Red of Flower Color Group 46B

Flower and Flower Bud

-   Blooming habit: Continuous.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—Upon opening, 15 mm in length from base of receptacle            to end of bud. Bud diameter is 12 mm.        -   Bud form.—Urceolate.        -   Bud color.—As sepals divide Red Group 46A and Greyed-Purple            Group 185A.        -   Sepal inner surface.—Color: Greyed-Purple Group 184A.            Surface: Smooth, moderately pubescent.        -   Sepal outer surface.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A with            strong intonations of Greyed-Purple Group 183A. Texture:            Smooth.        -   Sepal shape.—Apex: Cirrhose. Base: Flat at union with            receptacle.        -   Sepal margin.—Margins have strong foliaceous appendages on            three of the five sepals.        -   Sepal size.—18 mm long by 7 mm wide.        -   Receptacle.—Texture: Smooth. Size: 5 mm in height by 5 mm            wide. Color: Yellow-Green Group 144A. Strong anthocyanic            pigments the color of Greyed-Purple Group 183A observed.            Shape: Elliptical.        -   Pedicel.—Surface: Rough with many stipitate glands. Length:            30 mm. Diameter: 2 mm on average. Color: Yellow-Green Group            144C. Anthocyanic pigments the color of Greyed-Purple Group            184C observed. Strength: Moderate.        -   Peduncle.—Length: 10 to 2 cm. Diameter: 3 to 5 mm. Color:            Yellow-Green Group 144B. Texture: Smooth.-   Flower bud development: Flower buds are borne in panicle like    clusters of 15 flower buds on each peduncle. On average, each    flowering branch bears 10 to 15 peduncles.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Fragrance.—Light.        -   Duration.—The blooms have a duration on the plant of            approximately 7 to 10 days. Petals fall cleanly away from            plant after flowers have fully matured.        -   Size.—Flower diameter is 50 mm when open. Flower depth is 15            mm.        -   Flower shape.—General shape is a an open cup with petals            that curve out from the center.        -   Shape of flower, side view.—The upper portion is flat. The            lower portion is concave.-   Petalage: Under normal conditions, flowers have 20 petals total.-   General tonality of flower: Open flowers are Red Group 46A. Tonality    remains as the flower ages.-   Petal color:    -   -   Upon opening.—Upper surface: Red Group 46A. Lower surface:            Red-Purple Group 60A. Occasional streaks the color of White            Group N155A.        -   Basal petal spots, upon opening.—Upper surface: Yellow Group            8B. Lower surface: Yellow Group 8B.        -   After opening.—Upper surface: Red Group 46A. Lower surface:            Red-Purple Group 58A.        -   Basal petal spots, after opening.—Upper surface: Yellow            Group 4D. Lower surface: Yellow Group 4D.-   Petals:    -   -   Petal reflex.—Flat.        -   Margin.—Entire and uniform. Undulations of margin absent.        -   Shape.—Narrow elliptic. Apex shape: Rounded. Base shape:            Acute.        -   Size.—25 mm (l)×25 mm (w).        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Thickness.—Average.-   Petaloids: None observed.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Pollen.—None observed.        -   Anthers.—Size: 2 mm in length. Color: Yellow-Orange Group            14C. Quantity: 40 on average.        -   Filaments.—Color: Yellow Group 8A. Length: 5 mm.        -   Pistils.—Length: 3 mm. Quantity: 10 on average.        -   Stigmas.—Color: Green-Yellow Group 1C.        -   Styles.—Color: Green-Yellow Group 1C.        -   Location of stigmas.—Inferior in location relative to the            length of the filaments and the height of the anthers.        -   Hips.—None Observed.

Plant

-   Plant growth: Bushy. Plants are 75 cm in height and 75 cm wide.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Juvenile growth: Yellow-Green Group 144B. Mature            growth: Yellow-Green Group 146C.        -   Length.—On average, canes are 40 cm from the base of the            plant to the flowering portion.        -   Diameter.—11 mm.        -   Internodes.—On mature canes 15 to 35 mm between nodes.        -   Surface texture.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.-   Long prickles:    -   -   Incidence.—13 prickles per 10 cm of stem.        -   Size.—Average length of prickles on mature stems is 12 mm.        -   Shape.—Upper portion is linear. Lower portion is deep            concave.        -   Color.—Juvenile prickles: Greyed-Red Group 180A. Mature            prickles: Greyed-Orange Group 164C.-   Plant foliage:    -   -   Compound leaf.—160 mm (l)×90 (w).        -   Quantity.—3 leaves per 10 cm of stem on average.        -   Leaf bearing angle to the stem.—45 degrees.        -   Color of mature foliage.—Upper side: Yellow-Green Group            146A. Lower side: Yellow-Green Group 148C.-   Plant leaves and leaflets:    -   -   Stipules.—Size: 25 mm in length. Quantity: 2 per compound            leaf. Shape: Linear, slightly broad based with outward            extending apecies. Margins: Deeply serrated with stipitate            glands. Color: Green Group 143B.        -   Petiole.—Length: 30 mm. Diameter: 2.5 mm.        -   Upper surface.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 144D. Light            intonations of Greyed-Red Group 178A. Observations:            Stipitate glands.        -   Lower surface.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 144C. Observations:            Small prickles.        -   Rachis.—Length: 70 mm on average. Color: Upper surface is            Yellow-Green Group 144D. Light intonations of Greyed-Red            Group 178A. Observations: Stipitate glands.        -   Lower surface of rachis.—Lower surface: Color: Yellow-Green            Group 144C. Observations: Small prickles.        -   Leaflet.—Quantity: Normal number of leaflets leaves in            middle of the stem is 5 to 7 leaflets. Margins: Serrated.            Size: Average size of the terminal leaflet on normal leaves            is 45 mm in length by 32 mm wide. Shape: Generally ovate.            Base: Rounded. Apex: Mucronate. Texture: Smooth. Thickness:            Average. Arrangement: Odd pinnate. Venation: Reticulate.            Glossiness: Glossy.-   Disease resistance: Above average resistance to powdery and downy    mildew, rust, black spot, and Botrytis under normal growing    conditions.-   Cold hardiness: The variety is tolerant to USDA Cold Hardiness Zone    6.-   Heat tolerance: The variety has been found to be suitable for    climate conditions found in the American Horticulture Society heat    zone 7.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the Ground Cover rose class named ‘Poultc018’, substantially as illustrated and described herein, due to its abundant red flowers, disease resistance, and extended period of bloom. 